Ghanaian-UK entrepreneur and founder of Konnected Minds, Derrick Abaitey, has revealed that he began developing his digital skills and exploring online opportunities at a young age, earning about £800 monthly when he was just 19 years old.
Speaking on The Career Trail on Joy Learning TV and JoyNews, Abaitey encouraged young people to start building skills early, stressing that success requires patience, consistency and commitment.
Using the analogy of fetching water from a well, he explained that progress does not happen instantly but is achieved gradually through continuous effort.
“When you go into a well, you don’t take the bucket you came with and drop it in there and then fetch it. There is always a line. You have to pull the line slowly. It comes up and then you fill your bucket with time,” he explained.
Abaitey said many people become discouraged because they expect immediate results, forgetting that growth often happens over time.
“When the rain is falling and you want water from rain, you take a bowl or a bucket and put it in the rain. The rain does not focus its attention to fill your bucket, but it is falling everywhere. Over time, your bucket will be full,” he added.
According to him, patience must be combined with action for people to achieve their goals.
“We need time when we are taking action. If you are not taking any action, there is no point waiting. But if you put the bait on the hook and drop it in the water, you can wait. Give it time. The fish will catch it. You have fish to eat,” he stated.
Reflecting on his personal journey, Abaitey said he started experimenting with digital opportunities long before becoming an entrepreneur.
“If you are 19 years old and you are listening to me, at 19, I had several websites that were streaming. Sometimes it was music. I had blog spots and sites that were paying me,” he revealed.
He said those early digital ventures not only generated income but also helped him develop valuable entrepreneurial skills.
“There was a time when I was 19, I was making about £800 a month,” he shared.
Abaitey believes young people today have even greater opportunities because technology and artificial intelligence have made it easier to learn, develop skills and create income streams.
“Today AI makes it possible. I have students who are working with me and I pay them every month because of the skills that they have,” he said.
He urged young people not to compare their progress with others, especially when they see people achieving success at a young age.
“You may see somebody, they are young enough, maybe 30 years, they drive a nice car, they do this. It’s all well and good. Your own truth will come as long as you are working,” he advised.
Abaitey stressed that the key to success is starting early, remaining consistent and allowing time to reward hard work.
“But if you are not working and you are waiting, you’ll wait for a very long time,” he concluded.
